


Stood Up

by xswestallen



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Baking, Best Friends, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, POV Iris West, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Series, Secret Crush, Stood Up, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-21
Updated: 2017-10-21
Packaged: 2019-01-20 12:22:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12432744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xswestallen/pseuds/xswestallen
Summary: Barry is hyped for his date with a girl a Jitters, but she doesn’t show up. Thankfully, Iris is working that night. Pre-season 1 westallen fluff. Inspired by a tumblr prompt.





	Stood Up

**Author's Note:**

> Iris doesn't understand the nature of her feelings for Barry yet but they're definitely romantic feelings.

Barry Allen’s smile was infectious. Iris was behind the counter of Jitters, preparing a caramel macchiato for a rude customer, but couldn’t help smiling too when she saw Barry’s enthusiasm for his date tonight. He recently met a girl and crushed on her for weeks before finally asking her out. Barry hasn’t done much dating since high school, so Joe and Iris were both intrigued by whoever sparked his interest. Iris hadn’t met her yet, but knew this girl must be pretty special since Barry blushed whenever she was brought up in conversation. Even more impressive, Barry showed up to Jitters on time for their date.

Iris could tell Barry was a bundle of nerves. He drummed his finger on the table and was whispering something to himself. Barry was always a little awkward with girls and had a lot of insecurities when it came to dating. Iris didn’t understand those insecurities at all. She’d remind him over and over how smart, good looking, kind, funny, thoughtful, and generous he is.

Any girl would be lucky to be with him, but not just any girl deserved him. Iris had high standards for Barry’s girlfriends and-much to his dismay-would put them through a tough interview using interrogation techniques she learned from watching Joe.

Barry checked his watch and became more visibly anxious. Iris saw him wipe away a bead of sweat from his forehead. She looked at the clock and saw that his date was 15 minutes late. Iris didn’t think he had anything to worry about. In fact, it’s nice they already have something in common: perpetual tardiness.

“I’ll bus for you.” Iris said to one of her coworkers, taking the already half full bin of dirty dishes.

“Uh, thank?” her coworker said, a little confused by Iris’ eagerness.

“Psssst!” Iris was busing the table next to Barry’s. It only had one plate on it, but Iris lingered anyway.

Barry turned to her and tried to appear more confident than he was.

“I meant what I said before, you look great!” she told him.

Her words seemed to calm Barry a little. He smiled and took a deep breath.

“Thanks.” he said.

“Relax and just be yourself. If she has any taste, she’ll fall head over heels.” Iris gave him a rub on the shoulder.

Barry rolled his eyes and acted modest, like he did every time he was given a compliment. He put his hand over the one Iris placed on his shoulder and looked up at her.

“I can pretend I don’t know you and flirt with you if you want to make her jealous.” Iris suggested.

She wasn’t joking, but Barry must’ve thought she was because he let out a roar of laughter.

“Thanks for the offer, but I don’t need a wingman.”

Iris couldn’t keep pretending she was working on the table next to Barry. She gave him a thumbs up as she walked back to the counter.

Iris took orders at the cash register so she’d have a good view of Barry during the date. She watched as Barry went from being at ease after her talk with him to being more anxious than ever. His date was now more than 30 minutes late. He pulled out his phone and Iris assumed he was calling her to ask if she was ok. 

Barry huffed as he shoved his phone back in his pocket. That meant she either didn’t answer or she gave a lame excuse he could see through. Iris was getting annoyed at this girl for keeping him waiting.

45 minutes after his date was supposed to arrive, Iris grabbed a brownie from the pastry display case and brought it to Barry. His face was red with embarrassment and he avoided eye contact. Iris decided it was best to leave the brownie without saying anything. She saw him take a bite when she got back to the counter.

After an hour, Barry pulled out his phone and made another call. He hung up abruptly a few seconds later. It must’ve gone to voicemail. Barry buried his face in his hands. Iris was starting to worry this bitch stood him up. She was punching the buttons on the cash register with a little too much force and shooting dirty looks at the clock in between taking orders. 

When she got a break, she brewed a cup of Barry’s favorite green tea and brought it to him. This time, Barry looked at her.

“Thank you.” he said in a low voice.

“It’s your favorite.” Iris told him, trying to put a smile on his crestfallen face. “I could bring you another brownie or something else while you wait. Want anything?”

“No thanks.” Barry looked uncomfortable. He didn’t want Iris’ pity.

“Ok, well I’m right over there if you change your mind.”

Iris clapped her hands together and should’ve turned to walk back. But, she couldn’t leave him like this. He looked so discouraged. Iris wanted to pull up a chair next to him, run her finger through his hair, and make him feel better. She hovered over him for a few seconds before coming to terms with the fact that he wasn’t going to say anything else. She begrudgingly went back to work. Stupid shift. Maybe this girl would show up before then and Barry wouldn’t even need comforting. It was increasingly unlikely, but Iris held out hope that Barry’s night would get better.

Time passed and Barry was still alone. His sadness was infectious too, Iris felt miserable. When it was 2 hours past the time of the date, Barry slumped down onto the table. Iris hoped he wasn’t crying. She felt a lump in her throat as she looked at her best friend in pain. Sadness and sympathy quickly transformed into anger. This idiot who stood him up wasn’t worthy of a moment of his time. Iris’ shift was over at last. She grabbed a bear claw for Barry and a brownie for her before hastily tearing off her apron.

Iris approached the table and Barry sat up. He had been crying. He wiped his eyes as Iris sat down. They ate in silence for a little while. It wasn’t an awkward silence, they were so relaxed around each other that sometimes silence was another way of supporting each other. Just having your best friend at your side helps.

When Barry finished his bear claw, he spoke. “She wasn’t that great anyway.”

Iris grinned. Barry laughed at her brownie stained teeth.

“What?” Iris asked.

Barry passed her a napkin. “You really love brownies.” he said as she wiped her mouth.

“How could anyone not?” Iris was very passionate about her mistrust of people who don’t like brownies. It was impossible to her. “But the ones here aren’t as good as the ones you made me for my birthday last year.”

Barry shrugged. “I just followed the instructions on the Betty Crocker box.”

They both laughed.

Iris changed the subject to cookies and they ranked their favorite brands. They got lost in conversation and eventually, found themselves discussing the possibility of aliens helping build Stonehenge. They talked until the date who ditched him was far from Barry’s mind. They walked home together, arm in arm. 

When they got back to the house, Iris still felt hungry. So, they decided to make brownies. Barry spilled flour all over the kitchen and Iris squirted some of the chocolate syrup at him. Iris got bored waiting for the brownies to finish baking, so 7 minutes into the 8 minutes the box said to wait, they pulled out the pan, grabbed some spoons, and ate what Barry described as “almost brownies soup” straight from the pan.

“That was surprisingly good.” Barry said once they’d eaten the entire pan.

“Whoever came up with that whole ‘good things come to those who wait’ thing had no idea what he was talking about.” Iris concluded.

They cleaned up the kitchen before Joe came home and saw the mess they’d made. Iris went to bed afterwards, but Barry stayed up and watched TV. When Joe got home, it was past midnight.

“Watching a nature documentary, alone after a date? The night was that bad, huh?” Joe asked when he saw Barry on the couch.

Barry was about to tell Joe how he was stood up, but then he thought about his night with Iris.

“No, my night was actually wonderful.” Barry said, smiling to himself at the memory of him and Iris licking the brownie batter off the mixer.

Joe looked taken aback but happy. “You really like the girl?”

“You have no idea.”


End file.
